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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. G. F. CHAPMAN.

TRACK GLBARBR.

' 'Patented Aug. l0, 1886.

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2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

5 G. P. CHAPMAN'.

(No Model.)

TRACK GLEARER.

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UNITED v STATES GEORGE FREDERIC CHAPMAN,

PATENT OFFICE.

OF EvANsTON, WYOMING TERRITORY.

TRACK-CLEARER.

SPECIFIGATIQN forming part; of Letters Patent No. 347,026, dated August 10, 1886.

' Application filed April 23, 1884. Serial No. 128,981. (No'mndel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE FREDERIC CHAPMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Evanston, in the countyofUintah and Territory of Wyoming, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Track- Glearers, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figurel isa central. vertical section of a trackclearer constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section through the auxiliary reservoir thereof. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section through the brake-cylinder thereof. Fig. 4 is a front view of indicator. Fig. 5 is a top view of the truck carrying my improvement.

My invention relates to an improvement in track-clearers used to remove the snow lying between the rails, and particularly the snow and ice adhering to the inside of the rails and standing inthe way of the fiange of the driving and truck wheels, and is an improvementupon the invention shown in Patent No.

175,156, of March 21,1876. v

The object of my invention is the employment of compressed air for raising, lowering, and controlling the knives, cutters, or shovels used to remove the snow or ice lodged between or against the rails of the track; and my invention consists in using for that purpose, and with said cutters, the straight and automatic arrangement of the well-known Vestinghouse air-brake, comprising parts that will be hereinafter described, and specifically set forth in the claims.

Upon the truck T, carrying the ice-removing knives, is placed a Westinghouse standard driving-wheel brake-cylinder, A, that is fitted with double packing for operation. The cyl- Inder is provided with pipe attachments at both ends, and is connected with the auxiliary reservoir B and a triple valve, G.

The abovementioned appliances do not need any description, as they come from the manufacturers, (the Vestinghouse Air Brake Gompany,) and do not differ from the air-brake appliances, with the exception that double packing is used on the periphery of the piston in the brake-cylinder A, and air is used on both sides of the piston D.

The piston-rod E of brake-cylindcr A is attachedto the lever F of the track-clearer by piu f, passing through ashort slot in said lever, that leaves the piston-rod E and lever F free to move together forward or back, and said lever is secured to a shaft, F2, held at a short distance above and across the track. The brake-cylinder A is attached rigidly to the truck-frame of the track-clearcr.

Pipe attachments are made as follows: 'Ihe brake-pipe G runs from the locomotive to the front of track-clearer frame, 'and from there to the front end of cylinder A. Before the main pipe G reaches cylinder A, it meets a branch pipe, H, which connects the main brakepipe G to the brakepipe connection of the triple valve G, and the auxiliary pipe H of triple valve C connects with the auxiliary reservoir B, and from the brake-cylinder connection of the triple valve a pipe, Hz, leads from the back end of cylinder A. The hose-connecton G at the front of the track-clearer connects with the hose-coupling on the rear end of the locomotive, which locomotive is equipped with the Westinghouse air-brake apparatus.

The action of the above arrangement of parts is as follows: Compressed air is admitted through the main brake-pipe G to the front end of cylinder A, and at the same time is admitted to the auxiliary reservoir B through the pipe H and triple valve C. By admitting air of sufficient pressure to the front end of cylinder A when the piston D is in the'for- ,ward end, A', of cylinder A, and the kniyes I oted to the truck-frame, is attached to the lever F by means of the crank-arm J2, at the lower end of the signal-rod, and the connecting-rod J3, pivoted to a stud, F, projecting from the side of the lever F, as shown, which signal enables the engineer to see readily Whether the knives are up or down. rIhe end IOO of the cutters can be retained elevated at a distance above the rails by insertinga pin, t", infront of the lever F through the guideqnlates T, projecting from the top of the truck-frame.

Having now fully described my invention, I claiml. rlhe combination of the truck-frame, the transverse shaft F3, cutters I, and lever F, secured thereto, with the horizontal eylinderA, having openings and pipes at each end leading from the saine reservoir, and the pistonrod of said cylinder connected to the lever F, sliibstantially as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination of the truck-frame, the transverse shaft Fl, carrying cutters, and the lever F, with the piston-rod connected to said G BORG E FRE D 'ERIC C 1I AP M AN.

v Witnesses: Guo. H., CAPES, Roiann'r BURNS. 

